Comparative clinical studies of fertility and infertility in women with endometriosis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare clinical characteristics of infertile and fertile patients with endometriosis. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We evaluated medical records of women who underwent surgical treatment of endometriosis (n=284) between January 1999 and December 2003. Our study included only cases of histopathologically proven pelvic endometriosis (n=269). These patients were categorized into two groups named after infertile (n=45) and fertile cases (n=224). Clinical data were compared. RESULTS: Infertile patients are younger (t student. P=0.0000), have lower weight (Wilcoxon test P=0.0150), lower blood pressure--either systolic (Wilcoxon test P=0.0006) or diastolic (Wilcoxon test P=0.0007), separate noncystic endometriotic leasions occur frequently among these cases (Pearson chi-square P=0.000). CONCLUSION: Noncystic endometriotic implants are more strongly related to infertility than endometriomas. The relationship between blood pressure and infertility requires further investigation. endometriosis.